NYT: Palin’s Politics Got Personal in Alaska

Posted on Sep 13, 2008

Although critics are still accusing the “elite media” of unfairly scrutinizing Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, less than two months remain before the Nov. 4 election to suss out who she is and what she stands for. Saturday’s New York Times article on Palin’s governing style as mayor of Wasilla and governor of Alaska will no doubt draw more protests, but the Times’ findings are worth voters’ close consideration before they head to the polling booths.

The New York Times:

Ms. Palin walks the national stage as a small-town foe of “good old boy” politics and a champion of ethics reform. The charismatic 44-year-old governor draws enthusiastic audiences and high approval ratings. And as the Republican vice-presidential nominee, she points to her management experience while deriding her Democratic rivals, Senators Barack Obama and Joseph R. Biden Jr., as speechmakers who never have run anything.

But an examination of her swift rise and record as mayor of Wasilla and then governor finds that her visceral style and penchant for attacking critics—she sometimes calls local opponents “haters”—contrasts with her carefully crafted public image.